JOB INTERVIEW: SHOULD YOU TELL THE RECRUITER?

It is often said that all truth is not good to say ... But we also say that we must never lie to a recruiter because all truth ends up being known. What can we say and not say in a job interview?

Never say anything bad about your former employer

If you have gone out of business with your former employer and have had many disagreements with members of your company, do not go into details. The recruiter might question your behavior at work and fear that it will happen again. Prefer to remain neutral by explaining that you want to change the work environment, whether you are looking for new challenges or that your career ambitions have changed.

If you have not experienced a conflictual situation at work, you can remain honest about why you left and emphasize your motivation to join this company and not another.

Do not feel obligated to talk about your personal life

Personal topics such as your family situation (being married, single, divorced, with or without children, etc.), health status, sexual orientation, religion, social or ethnic background or your political opinions are not to be addressed during the interview. Unless these topics are directly related to the position and the company, they can lead to discrimination in your application and make you feel uncomfortable during the interview. Thus, if the recruiter asks you questions about your personal life, know that you do not have to answer them. In this case, do not steer and avoid the question diplomatically.

Avoid revealing all your personality

The recruiter will probably ask you to talk about yourself but focus on your professional skills and your soft skills. These skills related to the well-being, such as listening, sense of relationship, communication or empathy distinguish you from a competing candidate and leads you to professional success.

Stay honest!

Even if you have an idea of what the recruiter wants to hear, you never really know who you are dealing with. Prefer to remain honest about your career and recognize your flaws and mistakes. Especially since most recruiters appreciate honesty and candidates aware of their weaknesses. Moreover, by remaining honest, you will know more easily if you really correspond to the company and the proposed position, if the corporate culture is in adequacy with your values and your personality and if you plan for the long term.

Thus, you can talk about your career ambitions: the position you want to achieve in the medium-long term, mobility wishes, etc. However, do not go into details and be patient because if your wishes for evolution are legitimate, they are not the priority for a given position.

Finally, do not hesitate to ask a lot of questions to better understand the expectations of the employer and ensure that they are in tune with yours.

Fischer & Partners is an executive recruitment firm and talent solutions company. We help transform the workplace and unleash the full potential of organizations and individuals. Our expert team can provide you with unique insights and services that help you maximize your success. Operating in Thailand and Indonesia, we deliver a range of recruitment, talent management, and recruitment outsourcing solutions to get you and your business where you want to be.